DWIZ 882

MANILA – JUNE 2, 2026 –  In its ongoing mission to ensure that Filipino public school teachers are equipped with AI skills, the Department of Education (DepEd) is taking a bold step into the future of learning by expanding its partnership with Google for Education and providing more upskilling opportunities.

This year, the collaboration shifts its focus toward large-scale AI literacy, providing over one million teachers and education staff with the tools and training needed to succeed in the digital world.

At the heart of this initiative is a massive upskilling effort under Project S.I.N.A.G. (Supercharging Instruction for National Advancement with Google), which aims to train over a million teachers and staff in AI skills. To formalize this expertise, DepEd is promoting a series of no-cost Google and Gemini AI Certifications encouraging teachers to get certified before the start of the school year. These programs allow educators to enhance their professional credentials while learning how to use AI to simplify their daily work.

In a rapidly-evolving digital landscape, upskilling is more than an advantage, it’s become a necessity for the modern educator. As AI reshapes how information is gathered and processed, teachers are transitioning from being primary sources of information to being expert facilitators of critical thinking.

By mastering AI tools, educators can automate time-consuming administrative tasks, such as lesson planning and content creation, which often lead to burnout.

This “skilling up” allows them to reclaim valuable time, shifting their focus back to what matters most: more time to spend with their students. Ultimately, an AI-fluent teacher can keep up with tech-savvy students, making them far better equipped to guide those students through today’s digital landscape.

Prep Palacios, Country Manager of Google Philippines, emphasized the collaborative nature of this transformation.

“We believe that technology’s greatest potential in education lies in empowering the people who make learning happen every day,” Palacios said. “By bringing Gemini and specialized AI training to the hands of over one million Filipino teachers and Department of Education staff, we are not just modernizing tools. We are investing in the mentors who will shape the next generation of the country.”

“Our goal is to ensure Filipino teachers don’t just keep up with technology, but actually lead the way in using it,” said Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara. “By providing specialized training that includes Google certifications, we are removing barriers to professional growth. Beyond building digital fluency, the completed coursework earns our educators and staff the vital professional development credits that directly support their career advancement within public service, ensuring they are fully equipped to prepare students for a digital-first future.“

The certification path is divided into three levels:

• Fundamental (Level 1):Focuses on simplifying daily work with core Google tools.
• Advanced (Level 2):Helps teachers master complex educational workflows.
• AI Mastery (Gemini Certified):Empowers teachers to adopt AI and prompt engineering directly in the classroom.

Beyond training, the partnership is making cutting-edge AI tools available to those on the front lines. Over one million DepEd teachers and staff now have access to Gemini through their official education accounts.

These tools, alongside NotebookLM, are already being used to summarize curriculum materials and craft lesson plans. Notably, NotebookLM can now produce audio and video overviews in Filipino and Cebuano, ensuring the technology feels local and accessible.

This partnership also addresses technological sustainability. Through ChromeOS Flex, DepEd is breathing new life into older Windows devices by repurposing them into fast, modern machines for student use. This move ensures that more learners can access digital tools while the department maximizes its existing resources.

To learn more or to register for the training, visit the official Google for Education Learning Center or check the latest updates on the DepEd Philippines official Facebook page.